Personal computers as telephones

Grader A: hit

Smartphones joined the personal computer and the phone. By May 2011, 35% of US adults owned a smartphone, and 87% of them used it for internet or email. In 2009 the share was lower but rising fast (32% of Americans had gone online with a mobile device by April 2009).

Test: At least 20% of users by 2011: 35% of US adults owned a smartphone in May 2011 (Pew).

• Smartphone Adoption and Usage (Pew Research Center) (2011-07-11): 35% of US adults owned a smartphone in May 2011; 87% of owners used it for internet or email.

Grader B: hit

Smartphones are personal computers that serve as phones. They were about 14% of phone sales in 2009 and 42% of shipments in 2012; US smartphone ownership passed 20% of adults by 2011.

Test: User test: smartphone owners >20% of US adults by 2011; 42% of global phone shipments 2012.

• Wikipedia: Smartphone (accessed 2026-09-28): Smartphones were 42% of mobile phone shipments in 2012 and 55% in 2013; passed feature phones early 2013.
• Wikipedia: iPhone (1st generation) (accessed 2026-09-28): 2007 iPhone: flash storage, multi-touch screen, no physical keyboard; 6.1M units sold to mid-2008.